US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for a crucial summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping focused on trade disputes, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the ongoing Iran conflict. The visit marks the first US presidential trip to China in nearly nine years and includes meetings with top Chinese officials and business leaders. Trump is reportedly seeking greater market access for American companies and stability in economic ties. China, meanwhile, is expected to push back against US tariffs and arms sales to Taiwan. Analysts say the summit aims more at managing rivalry and avoiding escalation than achieving a major diplomatic breakthrough. (PC: AP)

At least nine people were killed and 28 injured in fresh Russian drone attacks across Ukraine after a three-day US-brokered ceasefire expired. Ukrainian officials said the worst-hit area was the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where eight people died, including residents in Kryvyi Rih and Synelnykove district. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 100 Russian drones were in Ukrainian airspace on Wednesday, warning of continued strikes. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 139 drones in 24 hours. Russia, meanwhile, claimed Ukrainian drones damaged industrial facilities and a gas processing plant inside Russian territory. (PC: BBC)

  High-resolution satellite imagery reviewed by India Today’s OSINT team suggests multiple Iran-linked aircraft were present at Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi during recent diplomatic visits. The images reportedly show a camouflaged C130-type aircraft and two planes resembling Iranian Meraj Air aircraft parked at the sensitive military facility.   Analysts said the camouflage pattern closely matches Iranian Air Force aircraft. The airbase is also undergoing major reconstruction nearly a year after India’s Operation Sindoor strikes. Satellite images show newly built hangars and a reconstructed command facility, indicating efforts to shield key military assets from satellite surveillance and aerial monitoring.  (PC: India Today)

US President Donald Trump has taken some of America’s biggest business and technology leaders on his official visit to China, highlighting the importance of trade, artificial intelligence and semiconductor ties between the world’s two largest economies.   Among the executives joining Trump in Beijing are Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook and BlackRock chairman Larry Fink. Leaders from Meta, Boeing, Visa, Goldman Sachs, Citi, Mastercard and Micron Technology are also part of the delegation.   The visit comes as Washington and Beijing remain locked in tensions over AI chips, technology exports and trade restrictions. Huang’s last-minute inclusion drew attention as Nvidia’s advanced AI chips are central to the US-China tech rivalry. Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade, technology and the ongoing Iran conflict. (PC: BBC)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting at Downing Street ahead of the King’s Speech, as pressure grows within the Labour Party over his future as prime minister. Streeting is widely seen as a potential leadership contender if Starmer is forced out. The meeting comes after four ministers resigned and more than 80 Labour MPs reportedly urged Starmer to quit or announce a timeline for departure. However, over 100 Labour MPs have publicly backed him, saying this is not the time for a leadership battle. Starmer has so far refused to step down. (PC: BBC)

US President Donald Trump departed for China aboard Air Force One ahead of high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the first visit by a sitting US president to China since Trump’s 2017 trip. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, with formal meetings planned for Thursday and Friday. Discussions are expected to focus on trade tensions, Taiwan, China’s rare earth export controls and broader economic ties. The Iran conflict is also likely to feature prominently, with reports suggesting Trump wants Beijing to pressure Tehran toward diplomacy. Trump will be joined by leading US business executives, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, as heightened security measures remain visible across Beijing.

A new survey has found that nearly one in four Americans believe the April 2026 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner involving US President Donald Trump was staged, despite officials saying there is no evidence supporting the claim. The poll showed 24% believed the incident was fake, while 45% considered it a genuine assassination attempt and 32% remained uncertain. The survey also revealed a sharp political divide, with around one-third of Democrats expressing suspicion compared to roughly one in eight Republicans. Investigators maintain that the attackers in all three assassination-related incidents involving Trump acted alone. The White House strongly dismissed the conspiracy theories, calling such claims baseless and irresponsible. (PC: X)

Donald Trump said the fragile US-Iran ceasefire is on “life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest peace proposal as a “piece of garbage”, ahead of his upcoming visit to China. Rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and fears of renewed conflict continued to pressure global oil markets.   Iran warned it could respond strongly to any future attack, while Pakistan denied reports that Iranian military aircraft were stationed at its airbases. India said it has enough crude oil and LPG reserves despite disruptions caused by the West Asia crisis. (PC: HT)

Lindsey Graham has raised doubts over Pakistan’s role as a mediator in the US-Iran tensions after reports claimed Iranian military aircraft were parked at a Pakistani airbase during the conflict. Reacting to the report, Graham said he did not trust Pakistan and questioned whether Washington should look for another mediator if the claims were true.   A report by CBS News alleged that Iranian aircraft, including an RC-130 reconnaissance plane, had landed at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi after the ceasefire announcement. Pakistan’s foreign ministry rejected the report as “misleading and sensationalised”, insisting the aircraft arrivals were linked only to diplomatic and logistical support during the ceasefire period. (PC: NDTV)

US inflation climbed to 3.8% in April, marking its highest level since May 2023, as rising energy and food prices intensified pressure on American households amid the ongoing Iran conflict. Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed surging gasoline prices accounted for nearly half of the increase after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz drove global oil prices sharply higher.   Airfares and grocery costs also increased, while wage growth slipped below inflation for the first time in three years. The figures have weakened expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and created fresh political pressure for Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections. (PC: BBC)